Top 10 Intersections Between the Karen Read and Sandra Birchmore Cases

It is important to acknowledge that the high profile nature of the Karen Read trial has created an opportunity for increased scrutiny in investigative matters and has shed new light on Sandra Birchmore’s complex and deeply unsettling case. There are some parallels between the cases, and some bizarre juxtapositions, yet they are vastly different tragedies that give rise to one common issue: A lot is wrong with the criminal justice system in Massachusetts.

Here are the top 10 intersections between Karen Read’s case and Sandra Birchmore’s case. It is important to note that both cases:

1. Occurred in Canton, Massachusetts. The Canton PD responded to both and both cases have respondents in common, including Sargent Michael Lank. As in many emergency calls, however, the police that were first to arrive on scene were routine patrol: as Saraf was to Karen’s case, so were Brady and Cotard to arrive first at Sandra’s. Lank would arrive shortly after and take charge of coordinating with the MSP, DA’s office, and medical examiner.

2. Involve Massachusetts state police taking charge of the investigation and subsequent conflicts among law enforcement agents. Just as conflicts were present with Trooper Michael Proctor in Karen Read’s case, there are conflicts with Trooper Sergeant John Fanning in that he grew up in Stoughton, Sandra’s hometown and the police department of all three of her abusers from the Explorer’s program. There is also a connection with regard to Detective Kevin Albert being present in Sandra’s death investigation, however, his involvement was low-level, assisting others in interviews during the days afterward.

3. Were overseen by the Norfolk County DA’s office. This office was quick to land on conclusions in both that would deter any thorough investigations into the police officers involved.

4. Entail questionable processing of tech devices. Trooper Nick Guarino was involved in their data extractions, as well as numerous others from local and state agencies. The software utilized for the data is Cellebrite. What certifications and/or education did Trooper Guarino have for conducting the processing in question?

5. Involve a strange, misguided interpretation and/or manipulation of the surveillance video. In Sandra’s case, the DA’s office was fast to dismiss Matthew Farwell’s creepy lobby footage as having “no investigative value.”

6. Occurred during snow emergencies that hindered and/or delayed crime scene processing. In Sandra’s case, possibly delayed her being found as she may have been presumed “snowed in” for a bit.

7. Raise bizarre and nonsensical questions with regard to the primary subjects driving during a snowstorm and when law enforcement agencies came to investigate the scenes. Oddly, no one questioned why Matthew Farwell drove hours in a heavy storm for a 20-minute visit to break up with Sandra while his wife was awaiting being induced into labor with their baby. Alternatively, Investigators seem to puzzle over Karen Read driving from Canton to Dighton to the comfort of her family after a devastating day.

8. Led to questionable DNA collecting and retention, as well as massive delays in lab processing. Similarly, they have the DA’s office excuses and backpedaling in terms of not performing tests that could result in unfavorable discoveries towards law enforcement agents.

9. Include assertions by law enforcement officers who were in control of their care and safety that they were “crazy” and “suicidal.” There is also documentation in both cases involving misogynistic and exploitative statements, although no one knows the full extent of law enforcement’s conversations with and about Sandra.

10. Are being investigated by the FBI. Throughout Karen Read’s trial, there were countless references to FBI involvement and the judge readily acknowledged it. In Sandra’s case, at some point, an FBI probe was initiated during the internal investigation of the Stoughton Police. As with all FBI investigations, nobody knows the full extent of the investigation while they remain active.